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Alum RoyShawn Webb picked to take over Cedar Rapids Jefferson boys’ basketball program
At just 25, he’ll be by far the youngest head coach in the Mississippi Valley Conference
May. 27, 2025 5:06 pm, Updated: May. 27, 2025 6:28 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS - Forget his age and general lack of experience. He knows them, understands them and loves them.
RoyShawn Webb is one of them.
“I’m going to put my all into this to make sure I’m doing the best I can to help these players and continue to change the narrative of just what Jefferson is and what the west side is,” the new head varsity boys’ basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Jefferson said.
The school announced Tuesday that the 25-year-old has been chosen to lead the program, taking over for Wes Bruns, who recently stepped down from the position. His hiring is pending school-board approval.
Webb is a 2017 Jefferson grad who teaches special education at the school. He was a fine player for the J-Hawks, going on to play college basketball as a guard at Iowa Central Community College and Mount Mercy University, where he got his degree.
“My plan is to just to get back to what it means to be a westsider,” Webb said. “As a westsider, we have a blue-collar approach to everything. We do things together, we’re not going to back down, and we’re not afraid of anybody. Obviously it’s going to take some time, but that’s the west side that I know and love.”
Webb has been a coach for two seasons, including head sophomore coach this past season at Jefferson. He knows he’ll by far be the youngest coach in the Mississippi Valley Conference but believes his recent experience as a player will be a boon.
Especially being a point guard, a position he said is an extension of the coach. Jefferson hasn’t had a winning season since 2012-13 and went 5-18 this past season.
“We had a good freshman class here that I think in a couple of years can be really good,” Webb said. “We have some guys coming back on our varsity that can compete as well. Every new coach wants to win right away. But every new coach is smart enough to understand that it just doesn’t happen overnight.
“It’s going to be a process, it’s going to be a lot of work that we have to put into it. But I wholeheartedly believe that here in a couple of years when people see Jefferson on their schedule, it’s going to be ‘Hey, we’ve got to prepare because it’s not going to be an easy game. It’s not going to be a game that we can just circle as a win.’”
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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